Hawkr secures £260k in a seed round led by Jenson Funding Partners to advance its platform
The seed round was led by Jenson Funding Partners and will fund platform development and partnership expansion.
Hawkr provides a digital marketplace platform that automates merchandise sales for live music artists and fans. The company replaces traditional upfront inventory models with a print on demand approach.
Hawkr has secured £260k in a seed funding round led by Jenson Funding Partners, alongside participation from other investors. The capital will be directed towards advancing the platform development, introducing new data driven features, and expanding industry partnerships.
Launched in 2021 by co-founders Jamie Monson and Les Seddon-Brown during the pandemic pause on live events, Hawkr addresses the inefficiencies of traditional tour merchandise. The platform utilises print on demand technology and direct to consumer sales, allowing artists to manage virtual merch stands while eliminating excess inventory and upfront production costs.
The company currently supports 150 artists and maintains partnerships with organisations such as Marshall Amps, the Featured Artists Coalition, and Earth/Percent. This fresh injection of capital aims to support the firm as it scales its operations and builds out its network across the music sector.
From the founder
"When I ran a portfolio of major music festivals for nearly a decade, I got to experience the merchandise world and all the issues that artists and fans go through first hand. It’s a problem that’s needed a solution for a long time, particularly on the sustainability front where it was often the case where I’d be left with countless boxes of items and be left to find ways of getting rid of it. Our marketplace platform helps alleviate all of these pain points and offers a more seamless process for all parties from start to finish. This funding will help us continue to develop our service and expand it to other parts of the world so artists and fans everywhere can enjoy a better experience with merch at live gigs."
Jamie Monson
Co-founder and CEO at Hawkr
Investor perspective
"Hawkr isn’t just improving the live music industry with a platform that makes the merchandise buying and selling process easier for all, but doing it in a way that takes sustainability into account. It’s exciting to be investing in a company that values reducing the carbon footprint of tours and live events alongside the profitability and accessibility that is at the heart of the music industry. We look forward to seeing Hawkr’s continued growth as it makes the merchandise experience better for music fans everywhere."
Sarah Barber
CEO, Jenson Funding Partners
Use of funds
- 01Continue product development
- 02Fund the next phase of growth
Investors
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About the company
Hawkr
Hawkr provides a digital marketplace platform for live music merchandise.